What is Thai Air’s presence like in Switzerland?
We have three employees stationed at Zurich Airport, five in the cargo division, and 12 at the Town Office. We had to close the Town Office this year due to the COVID-19 crisis and the resulting reduced working hours. The 12 affected employees have been working from home ever since.
Why did you switch to a new telephony solution?
The main reason for replacing our existing phone system was the closure of the Town Office. This was because our old solution was tied to a specific workstation, meaning calls would have gone unanswered when employees were away from their desks. That would have been unthinkable, especially for our team that handles reservations. Thanks to the new telephony solution, our employees can be reached even when working remotely, and they’re always available on the go via the corresponding smartphone app.
Which solution did you choose, and why did you choose it in particular?
Since March 2021, we’ve been using Microsoft Teams. It was recommended to us by our long-time contact for computer and telephony matters, Thomas Koch. We had also evaluated a solution from another provider. However, we found it too expensive and too complex—partly because we would have had to switch installation partners, which was not an option for us.
Why did you decide to partner with peoplefone and Bix Bytes?
We’ve been working with Mr. Koch for 20 years now and are very satisfied. When he moved to Bix Bytes at the beginning of the year, it was clear to us that we would make the switch with him. He was also the one who recommended peoplefone as the provider for our new telephony solution. And his recommendations have always paid off over the past few years.
How did the transition go?
Mr. Koch explained to us in advance the possibilities that Microsoft Teams offers and ensured a smooth migration by testing the connections beforehand. In addition, all of our employees received training and instructions on how to use Microsoft Teams before the switch. The transition then went off without a hitch.
What were the challenges?
At first, people were occasionally kicked out of the call because the wrong button was pressed. Other than that, however, the transition didn’t cause any difficulties. The solution is actually relatively self-explanatory. What was the collaboration with peoplefone and Bix Bytes like? We’re very happy with our collaboration with Bix Bytes and peoplefone. Mr. Koch is our main point of contact. If any issues arise, he handles them directly with peoplefone. peoplefone stays in the background—which is good, because it means the solution is working.
How satisfied are you with the new solution?
We’re very satisfied. So far, we haven’t had any issues with Microsoft Teams. We would therefore recommend the solution at any time—in fact, we’ve already done so. We’ve told our German colleagues about Microsoft Teams, since they also want to optimize their availability. Now we’re curious to see if they’ll make the switch as well. peoplefone also operates as a provider in Germany.
What’s the biggest difference compared to the previous solution?
We can now call each other directly, which wasn’t so easy with the previous solution—you always had to go through the switchboard first. There was no way to connect directly with each other internally. In addition, we can now hold virtual meetings and chat with each other. And thanks to the new call routing, our reservations team is much easier to reach, and we can see when our colleagues are busy. We also have automated systems that ensure callers are connected to the right contact person each time. Another advantage of this solution is the cost: We used to have many phone numbers that we didn’t even need, but were still paying for. Now we pay only for the licenses we actually need.
From an interview with Ms. Silvia Stoll, Head of Sales & Marketing at Thai Air
, implemented by Bix Bytes Solutions AG